Internal-combustion engine



Nov. 6 1923. 9 3

F..E. FOULKE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed March 29. 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 $1 n uonkoz mwm F. E. FOULKE New. 6 11%23.

INTERNAL COMBUSTI ON ENGINE Filed March 29 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 an muf Patented Nov. ll%e NW STAT FRANCIS E. FOU i i1.

E, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NOR TO M IMUM MOTORS CO. INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

INTNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE. I

Application filed March 29, 1918. Serial No. 225,892.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Fnxnors E. FoULKE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania,

have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the ac- 1o companying drawings.

The invention relates to internal combustion engines of the rotary valve type. In the usual arrangement of internal combustion engine the induction manifold extends l the length of the engine and is adapted to communicate with the cylinders of the engine by means of valve'controlled passages. This arrangement is objectionable because the valves do not operate consecutively so that the gases in the manifold surge back and forth and are not evenly distributed whereby the same amounts of gases do not enter each of the cylinders. Applicant has overcome these objections by an arrangement in which the gases are permitted to enter at opposite ends of the engine so that the amount of surging is greatly decreased and the gases are more evenly distributed. Another object of the invention is to obtain a construction in which the gases passing through the induction conduit are heated before entering the cylinders. Still another object of the invention is to obtain a simple eflicient construction in which the rotary valves are accurately driven. Further objects of the invention reside in the novel arrangements and combinations of parts as more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings:.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the engine;

Fi re 2 is a transverse section thereof on the line 2--2 of Figure 3.; 7 Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of a modi fied construction.

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-section.

The engine'comprises the cylinder blocks A and B mounted upon the crank case C and spaced from each other. The blocks A and B have the plurality of cylinders A and B respectively, which have the water jackets A and B respectively. Slidably engagin the cylinders A and Bare the pistons 1% which have the connecting rods E engaging the cranks F of the crank shaft F, which is rotatably mounted within the crank case C.

For controlling the inlet of the gaseous mixture to the cylinders the hollow rotary valves G and H are provided in the cylinder blocks A and B respectively at one side of the cylinders and in the heads thereof; For controlling the exhaust from the cylinders the hollow rotary valves I and J are provided respectively in the cylinder blocks A and B at the opposite side of the cylinders and in the heads thereof. These valves are suitably ported for correctly admitting the gases and permitting of the exhaust thereof. The inlet rotary valves G and H and also the exhaust rotary valves I and J extend inwardly between the cylinder blocks A and B and the inlet rotary valves communicate with each other respectively whereby they form passage-ways extending the length of the engine.

For driving the rotary valves the spiral gear K is non-rotatably mounted upon the adjacent ends of the inlet rotary valves G and H and the spiral gear L is non-rotatably mounted upon the adjacent ends of the exhaust rotary valves I and J. Non-rotatably mounted upon the crank shaft F and longitudinally centrally thereof is the spiral gear M having the teeth M engaging the teeth N of the worm gear N which is non-rotatably mounted upon the lower end of the shaft 0. Non-rotatably mounted atthe upper end of the shaft 0 are the worm gears l and Q for respectively engaging the spiral gears K and L. The shaft 0 extends intermediate the cylinder blocks A and B and is inclined with respect to the vertical axis of the cylinders in order to secure the proper drivin-grelations. Also mounted within the crank case C is the spiral gear R engaging the teeth N of the worm gear N the spiral gear B being adapted to drive the pump or other accessories (not shown) of the engine.

An important feature of the invention resides in the arrangement of induction conduit. which is as follows: S is the induction conduit, to which the carburetor (not shown) is secured. This conduit is bifurcated and has the arms T and T branching in opposite directions and %ass1ng throu h the water-jackets A and 2 respective y. At the opposite 'or outer ends of the englne are Mid the cylinder blocks A and B. The returnbent conduits U and ll are provided communicating with the arms T and T and with 7 are present in the rotary valves ready to enlid ' ter the cylinders. ing connected also permit of the passage of The rotary valves bethe gaseous mixture from either arm of the induction conduit through its respective rotary valve into the other rotary valve, if necessary. The return-bent conduits at the opposite ends of the cylinder blocks are simple and furthermore effectively place the arms of the induction conduit in communication with the rotary valves. The exhaust from the cylinders is provided for by a very similar arrangement of the exhaust conduit V passing through the water-j acket and connected to the opposite ends of the rotary valve, or the exhaust rotary valves l and J respectively. This exhaust conduit also provides means for heating the cooling fluid enclosed within the water-jackets A and B From the above description it will be readily seen that l have provided a simple and efiective construction of engine in which the fluctuations of the gaseous mixture within the passage, adapted to communicate with the cylinders is greatly lessened andfurthermore the aseous mixture passing into the engine cyllnders is preheated. Also means is provided for accurately driving the rotary valves from a single drive shaft.

In the usual engine construction a portion of the exhaust gases are drawn into the cyl inders because the valves do not remain against their seats and because of the momentum of the exhaust gases. With my construction, as shown particularly in Figure 1, the partition V is provided between the exhaust rotary valves l and J so that the exhaust gases can not pass from the valve in one cylinder block to the valve in the other cylinder block.

An important feature of'my invention, as shown in Figure 3, resides in the means for variably controlling the inlet of the gaseous mixture to the engine cylinders. As shown, the modified construction has the same arrangementand combination of parts, as

shown in Figure 1, with, the additional means for variably controlling the inlet of the gaseous mixture to the engine cylindare. This means comprises the rotatable inlet sleeves W surrounding both the inlet rotary valves G and H and suitably ported to correspond with the ports into the engine cylinders. Connected to the sleeves V are inraoai the levers W which are adapted to be inanually operated through connections (not shown). With this construction the aission of the gaseous mixture can be controlled sage to the induction conduit.

What I claim as my inventiomis:

L-ln an internal combustion engine, the combination with cylinder blocks, each com prising a plurality of cylinders and a rotary valve adapted to communicate with its respective cylinders, said valves communicating with each other, of a bifurcated induction conduit communicating with the opposite ends of said valves, and means intermediate said cylinder blocks for driving said rotarv valves. I

2. ln an internal combustion engine, the combination with cylinder blocks, each comprising a pluralityof cylinders, a rotary valve adapted to communicate with its respective. cylinders and a Water jacket for the cylinders, said valves communicating- ,with each other, of a, bifurcated induction conduit having the arms thereof passing through'said water jackets to the opposite ends of said blocks, and return-bends at said ends for connecting said arms into said rotary valves.

3. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with cylinder blocks, each comprising a plurality of cylinders, a rotary valve for controlling the inlet to said cylin ders, and a rotary valve for controlling the exhaust from said cylinders, said inlet and exhaust rotary valves being respectively connected to each other intermediate said blocks, and spiral driving means for rotating said valves, extending between said blocks and between said rotary valves.

4. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with cylinder blocks, each comprising a plurality of c linders, a rotary valve for controlling the inlet to said cylinders, and a rotary valve for controlling the exhaust from said cylinders, said inlet and exhaust rotary valves being res" ectively connected to each other intermediate said cylinder blocks, spiral gears respectively mount ed upon said inlet and exhaust rotary valves, a driving shafte'xtending between said cylinder blocks and between said inlet and ex haust rotary valves, and wormgea'rs up said shaft for respectively engg said spiral gears. I

5. In an internal combustion engine, the combination withthe crank shaft, of cyliuder blocks each comprising a plurality of cylinders, pistons within said cylinders connected to said 'crank shaft, rotary valves rea its

ltd

respectively controllin upon opposite sides of said cylinders for the inlet and exhaust to and from sai cylinders, said inlet and exhaust rotary valves of said blocks being respectively connected to each other intermediate said blocks, spiral gears upon said inlet and exhaust rotary valves, a shaftextending between said blocks and between said inlet and exhaust rotary valves and inclined with respect to the vertical axis of said cylinders, worm gears upon said shaft for respectively engaging said spiral gears, a spiral gear upon said crank shaft, and a worm gear at the lower end of said shaft and enga ing' said spiral gear upon the crank sha t.

6. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with cylinder blocks each comprising a plurality of cylinders of an exhaust rotary valve within each of said cylinder blocks, said valves being-in substantial alignment with each other said valves being connected to each other, and a partition intermediate said valves for separating the interiors of said valves from each other.

7. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with cylinder blocks, of rotary valves controlling the inlet ports in said blocks, said valves being directly connected to each other intermediate said blocks and communicating with each other, and means intermediate said blocks and surrounding said valves for rotatin the same.

8. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with cylinder blocks, of rotary valves for controlling the inlet ports in said blocks, said rotary valves being connected to each other intermediate said blocks, ported sleeve surrounding said rotary valves within said blocks, and means at the adjacent ends of said sleeves for rotating the same.

9. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a series of cylinders, of a pair of exhaust rotary valves each adapted to communicate with a plurality of cylinder-s, said valves being in substantial alignment with and connected to each other, and a partition, extending transversely of the axes of and intermediate said valves for separating the interiors thereot from each other.

10. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a plurality of cylinders, of a plurality of intercommunicating rotary valves for said 0 linders, said valves being in substantial alignment with and having adjacent ends connected to each other, a bifurcated induction conduit communicatin with the opposite ends of said valves, and means intermediate said cylinders and surrounding said rotary valves for driving said rotary valves.

11. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a plurality of cylinders, of a pair of rotary valves adapted to control said cylinders respectively, an adjustably rotatable sleeve surrounding each ofsaid valves for varying the size of each cylinder inlet port, means arranged between said cylinders for rotating said valves, and mean between said cylinders for adjustably rotating said sleeves.

.12. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a plurality of cylinders, of a passageway adapted to communicate with said cylinders, fittings at opposite ends of the engines provided with induction passageways communicating vsith said first-mentioned assageway, means terminating within the ends of the engine for controlling the communication with said first-mentioned passageway with the cylinders, and means intermediate-a air of cylinders for rotating said control ing means.

13. In a water jacketed internal combustion multi-cylinder engine, the combination with a rotary passageway adapted to communicate respectively with the cylinder, of a bifurcated induction conduit having the arms thereof passing through the jacket of the engine at one side thereof and leading to the opposite ends ofthe engine, means at the opposite ends of the engine for connecting said arms into said rotary passagewa and means intermediate a pair of cylin ers and operatively connected to said rotary passageway to rotate the same.

In testimony whereof ll afix my signature.

FRANCIS 1E. FORE. 

